Design, Architecture, Gardens, Southern California Living

Dungeon apartment for rent in the Hollywood Hills

April 19, 2011 | 7:38
am

It's not easy to find a dungeon apartment in Los Angeles these days. Especially one lined with river rocks and boasting views of the Hollywood sign. But this apartment, which recently came up on Craigslist, is vacant; landlord George Ehling is renting it for $1,350 a month.

The dungeon is on the lower level of Ehling's 4,500-square-foot home at 7110 Woodrow Wilson Drive. A former wrestler who went by the name "Cowboy Cassidy," he also worked as an actor and later as a carpenter for the movie studios. He bought the house in 1967 and has spent 40-plus years customizing it. The entire facade is covered in mosaics he made out of almost entirely repurposed materials, includingthe bottoms of discarded beer and wine bottles as well as bits of marble and clay he's found while Dumpster diving.

Almost all the rocks that line the walls of the dungeon were excavated from his backyard. "When I was building the dungeon, I had 1-foot concrete walls all around," he said. "My wife said don't put rocks on there. That's how I knew I was on the right track."

Ehling is 84 now and told me he'd been renting out this apartment for five years. His most recent tenant left on April 4, and although he has shown the dungeon to a few prospective renters, as of press time, the apartment was vacant. He didn't know how many square feet it was but said it's bigger than a studio and smaller than a one bedroom. He does not think it's a good fit for a couple. "There's no escape," he said. "My wife and I have a mile betweeen us upstairs."